Tuesday, June 10, 2008

My new friend

A couple of weeks ago I bid good-bye to an old friend.

Of course, that friend had to be replaced. And trust me, picking out a new friend like this isn't easy, the choices are dizzying!

After much discussion, soul searching and research, I would like to introduce you all to my new friend:Yes, I am going to move over to a manual push mower. I'm not sure yet how I feel about this. I guess I'll find out on Saturday when it arrives and I have to cut the grass!



There were many reasons for going this route:


1) we don't own a car so getting gas home is difficult

2) gas is expensive

3) burning gas is bad for the environment

4) electric mowers cost $$ in electricity to run

5) using unneccessary electricity is bad for the environment

6) I hate hauling the electric cord around with me, getting tangled in and tripping over it

7) our lawn isn't that big

8) I could use the extra excercise



Anyone else out there a fellow push-mower user? Any advice before I begin? The good thing is that I am not lawn-obsessed. I would be quite happy to let it grow wild, but I think the neighbours would disapprove. So I diligently cut each week and keep it respectible looking.

7 comments:

Sam said...

There was a piece on the local news (local to me anyway!) the other day about push mowers coming back into fashion for green and financial reasons!

I don't have any advice as I don't have a lawn myself, but I think that the best thing to do is keep it short with regular mowing as other wise I can imagine that it would get difficult!

Heather said...

Our neighbors across the street used to have a push mower, though they traded (up? down?) for a gas mower the summer before last. I never asked why, just assumed it was a matter of time or convenience...

We have a gas mower, and a medium-sized yard. We probably could get away with mowing via a push mower (I mean, we're pushing the gas mower now, aren't we?) but as long as our gas mower lasts, we're not planning on replacing it.

At least we're not as bad as one of our next door neighbors. They have a riding mower for a lawn the same size as ours. We make fun of them (to their faces, in a friendly way) when the hubby is out there riding around. I can mow our yard faster with our non-rider than he does his with the riding one, LOL.

BTW, if you let the clippings stay on the ground instead of bagging them, it is better for your lawn. Messier when it gets tracked inside, but better. :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome new friend...nice to meet you...we have a service but an old neighbor (figuratively and literally) used a "man power" mower...his term not mine...he did it almost every other day...he did not seem worn out...

Good for you not that you need reasons but yours are very good.

Fiddle1 said...

Very admirable! Keep us posted on this after Saturday and take a pic of the grass. We have 2 acres, so this would not be an option for us, but I'd love to see how easy or difficult they are.

Fostermama said...

I had one at the old house but we had mostly weeds not grass and I gave it up. I'm looking to switch again. What model did you go with?

Lost in Space said...

Looks like a good idea for a small lawn. I would love to hear how it goes.

Mommy Meryl said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog! I noticed that you had a link for cloth diapers (not my thing - but I can't imagine using a push mower either!! My daughter would be very proud of you - she thinks I'm wasteful!)- I just saw a review on http://mammaliciousfinds.blogspot.com for some cleaners for cloth diapers.